Shoppers continue to be driven away from Britain's town centres by restrictions on parking, with a new report finding motorists complaining of rising charges, fewer spaces - and those that are available being too small to fit modern cars.

As many as four in five drivers have reported increasing parking charges in towns and cities, according to the RAC.

And two thirds believed there was now less parking close to their town or city centre and that parking restrictions had become more stringent where they live.

Park life: Drivers have reported more active traffic wardens in their area.

Also, 24 per cent of the 1,526 motorists surveyed said traffic wardens were now more active in their area and 22 per cent said they had seen parking spaces that used to be free become charged for in the last 12 months.

The poll also found that 65 per cent of motorists reported that even when they finally find a space to park, it was too small for today's breed of cars.

Although this may in fact be down to their cars rather than the council, with modern-day motors far wider than previous generations due to the addition of side-impact protection features and styling.

The RAC said that 67 per cent of drivers who agreed that parking had become more expensive in the town centre had cut the amount of driving they do as a direct result of these increased parking charges.

It added that London motorists, in particular, had 'felt the pain' of increased parking costs, with 59 per cent finding high street parking was hitting their pocket more.

IT'S NOT ALL BAD FOR MOTORISTS: PLANS TO LOWER LICENCE FEES

Driving licence fees are to fall, with larger reductions for those who carry out online transactions, the Government has announced.

The plans, which are to be consulted on, envisage drivers who apply online for their first driving licence would see the fee drop from £50 to £34.

Drivers who renew their licence after 10 years would see the fee drop from £20 to £14. The online reduction is 32 per cent and the paper application reduction is 15 per cent.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said: 'What the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) have shown today is that you can do more for less.'

Transport Minister Claire Perry said: 'The cost of driving can be significant, especially for new drivers. I'm pleased to say that we are planning to save drivers £18million a year by cutting licence fees, thanks to the DVLA making significant savings to their running costs.'

The DVLA is currently reviewing all the fees they charge to motorists and the consultation launched today is the first step in this ongoing review.

The consultation closes on August 25 2014 and the Government is hoping to introduce the new fees by the end of October 2014.

In addition, 41 per cent of motorists believed that the local authority where they lived used the revenue from parking charges to subsidise other areas of non-motoring expenditure.

RAC technical director David Bizley said: 'It's time for a reality check when it comes to parking in Britain.

'We have to find a happy medium between the desire of motorists to get to where they want to go, which our research shows is driven in part by inadequate public transport provision in many parts of the country, and the need to keep our towns and cities moving.

'Parking has always been an emotive issue for the nation's drivers - whether that's caused by driving around city centres endlessly to find an elusive space, or a neighbour mindlessly blocking your driveway.'

He went on: 'So what is the solution? Britain's local authorities have undoubtedly got a tough job to keep a growing driving population happy while allowing our high streets to thrive and keep traffic moving, but they need to think and act boldly.

'We need transparency. Councils should be compelled to report where the money raised from parking goes - giving drivers assurance that it is being ploughed back into road and transport improvements, rather than just plugging budget holes elsewhere.'

A spokesman for the Local Government Association, said: 'This report is not a true reflection of the reality of parking in our communities.

'Councils remain on the side of hard-pressed motorists by keeping a lid on parking charges which are only set to rise with inflation this year.

'Councils have to try and strike a balance when setting parking charges to ensure there are spaces available for everyone at all times of the day.'

He went on: 'Parking charges and fines are essential to help councils keep traffic flowing and pedestrians and motorists safe. On-street parking revenue is spent on paying for parking services. Any surplus is spent on essential transport projects, such as tackling the £12 billion roads repair backlog and creating new parking spaces.

'Local government is already the most open and transparent part of the public sector. Many councils already publish annual parking reports to make it easier and clearer for residents to understand and combat the deep-rooted misconceptions about parking.'